Been the right for the wrong
by Ignorant Sparrow
Summary: Lin was never good at emotional pep talk. A plot twist where Korra is not sent to south pole but is kept at Air temple island while she healed.


Lin watched Korra practically shoo off Mako, Bolin and Asami repetitively as they tried talking to her for several days. She heard Korra didn't bother to open the letters from home. She also witnessed Korra yell at Katara in frustration. She noticed Korra avoiding Tenzin and neglecting the kids whenever they tried to reach her. Korra was shutting everyone out, creating walls around her as she struggled to be healed.

One evening Lin visited the Island to discuss rearranging security provided to the Air temple island and Korra, for threat of Red Lotus had been subdued and everything was slowly turning to normal. She bumped on to Asami at the narrow pathway that ran from hill top to the docks. She was clearly upset about something.

Lin gave her an inquisitive look. "You alright?"

Asami forced a smile. "Yes Chief. I've just been to see Korra."

Lin nodded and stepped sideways to make way for Asami. She took few steps forward and stopped. Lin watched Asami turned around hesitantly and locked eyes with her own.

"Lin," She said in a small voice. "Could you- Could you talk to her? Korra seems distant from everyone since the incident."

Lin stared, blinking in uncertain and confused manner. "Please Lin; she needs someone who'd understand her situation." Asami pressed on.

"And why do you think that someone is me?" Lin asked her tersely. "Trust me Asami, I'm only good at interrogation. Emotional pep talk isn't my thing."

Asami took few tentative steps forward. "But you'll get what she's going through, won't you?" She asked hesitantly. "Suyin told us how you slowly distanced yourself from everyone"

Lin's eyes flared making Asami step back. Lin tore of her eyes from the young girl to look at the ocean. She'll need to have a word with her sister.

"Lin I didn't mean to intrude but it seems like we are losing her after all!" Asami almost pleaded. "She's not letting anyone in."

Lin sighed. "I'll try."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Korra was sitting on the meditation pavilion alone. Lin noticed the walker she had brought along just in case. Korra's head turned in the slightest as Lin's metal clad feet patted the wooden floor slowly.

Lin leaned against the guard rail, staring at the back of Korra's head. When she didn't get much of a greeting, Lin decided to break the silence. "Police officers are been replaced by more white lotus members around here." She said casually. "Since we've captured and imprisoned all the Red Lotus members, we can relax a bit now."

Korra's reply was a nod which almost went unnoticed. Lin stayed several minutes deciding how to approach the quiet girl. Finally, she sighed. "Mind if I sit with you?"

Korra didn't say anything. Lin hesitated for a moment and sat down beside the young Avatar.

They stayed in silence for another minute before Lin spoke to no one in particular. "I hate the rain."

Korra's head turned to look at her companion, a bit surprised by the out-of-the-blue confession.

"The day when Amon 'cleansed me of my impurity', it was raining. I lay for four hours in the rain, completely helpless and empty. It was dreadful." Lin heard herself say for the first time since it happened.

"I didn't know." Korra mumbled. "I'm sorry Lin."

"The worst part was I had no friends or family to talk to." Lin went on. "For five days, until you restored my bending, I was completely lost"

"I know how you felt." Korra said looking at the far horizon.

"You don't know how lucky you are Korra." Lin stated after a while. "There are bunch of people who care about you. You have friends who love you. You have a family who are incredibly affectionate and supportive. Some of us aren't that lucky. Some of us have to fight through pressure and pain alone."

"What about Tenzin, Kya?" Korra inquired, sounding like her curious self after a long time.

"It's complicated." Lin sighed. "And I spent the good forty years of my life trying to be the right person for the wrong people; I ended up having no family and friends, no family and friend that I can talk to anyway."

Korra's gaze dropped. She sighed. "I just- It's just- I don't mean to-" She stammered, struggling to find the right word.

Lin stood up. Korra felt a palm rest on her shoulder. "I'd understand if you wanna fight this pace alone." Lin said softly. "But don't shut your friends and family out Korra. Take it from me kid, you need them as much as they need you."

Korra looked up to meet Lin's eyes. "How did you do it? How did you survive the hard times?"

Lin smiled. "I usually take long and lone vacations, travelling the world on my own." She straightened up. "It's the only thing I can do to pick myself up again. But that's because I didn't have a devoted friend like Asami, or a supportive family like yours."

Korra smiled this time. She grabbed Lin's forearm and stood up shakily. "Walk me to the main house?"

"Sure kid" Lin said snaking an arm around Korra's shoulders to support her weight.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Next week, when Lin received a phone call from Tenzin, saying Korra has left Republic City to stay in the South Pole for a while, Lin was relieved. She assumed Korra was finally going to visit her parents and talk to them. Little did she know that Korra had plans of taking a long and lone vacation to pick herself up.


End file.
